"This heat is crazy:" Texans take to pools amid heat wave

Record ID: 1681976

  • Title: "This heat is crazy:" Texans take to pools amid heat wave
  • Date: 21st July 2022
  • Summary: HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (July 21, 2022) (Reuters) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SWIMMING AT HOUSTON’S MASON PARK POOL (SOUNDBITE) (English) BLAS MORALES, A SWIMMER, SAYING: “Oh man, it just feels nice and relaxing to get in the cool water. This heat is crazy. I’ve seen a lot of people pass out with this heat.” MAN WITH YOUNG GIRL IN POOL VARIOUS OF LIFEGUARDS AT POOL SOU
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2022 00:32
  • Keywords: climate change global warming heat wave houston pools pools swimming texas heat
  • Location: HOUSTON AND COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
  • City: HOUSTON AND COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Environment,Temperature,United States,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001366421072022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:An unrelenting heat wave on Thursday (July 21) was expected to scorch the South for the third day as dangerously high temperatures had forecasters warning about the dangers of dehydration and exposure.
    A heat advisory for southeast Texas, warning of peak heat index temperatures ranging from 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, was put into effect Thursday by the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Houston/Galveston office.
    The U.S. heat wave follows conditions in Europe this week that have touched off wildfires and set record temperatures in the kind of weather event that scientists say will become more frequent with climate change.
    The NWS and local officials urged people to stay indoors, avoid strenuous activities and stay hydrated.
    "To reduce risk during outdoor work, schedule frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments," the NWS said. "Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location."
    Several cities issued heat emergencies and opened cooling centers in public buildings and urged people to take advantage of public pools.
    Houstonian Blas Morales decided to take a dip in Houston’s Mason Park pool on Thursday.
    “Oh man, it just feels nice and relaxing to get in the cool water,” Morales said. “This heat is crazy. I’ve seen a lot of people pass out with this heat.”
    While taking a plunge in an outdoor pool may sound like a good idea in this heat, Leroy Maura, the aquatics director at the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, said the pool water isn’t much cooler than the air. He advises lifeguards to ask swimmers to leave the pool every 10 minutes to find shade.
    “They believe it cools them down. I can tell you this water temperature is probably somewhere around 90 degrees – maybe a little bit warmer,” Maura said. “What people don’t realize is you actually sweat, even in the swimming pool.”
    Earlier this week, several spots in the South saw record daily temperatures, including Wichita Falls, Texas where a high of 115 degrees was recorded on Tuesday.
    (Production: Evan Garcia)
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